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Joe Cole
Joseph John "Joe" Cole (born 8 November 1981) is an English international footballer who played as a midfielder for Liverpool from 2010 until 2013. The free signing of England international Cole after his release by Chelsea was glamourised by Liverpool as a major transfer coup, with Liverpool presenting the player with a lucrative four-year contract- reportedly worth as much as £100,000-per-week, plus a substantial signing on fee. His Anfield career however was blighted by injury and poor form. Performing only a bit-part role at Liverpool, he spent the 2011-12 season on loan at Lille before the club agreed to move him on to his boyhood club West Ham in the 2013 January transfer window. Liverpool career Cole joined Liverpool on a free transfer in 2010 during the summer transfer window. He was Roy Hodgson's first signing of the 2010-11 season, however the deal had been orchestrated by then-managing director Christian Purslow prior to Hodgson's arrival. Cole was given the number 10 shirt and made his debut against Arsenal on the first game of the 2010-2011 season. The game would be one to forget for Cole however as he was sent off for a lunge on defender Laurent Koscielny just before half time- the first red card of Cole's professional career. Although Cole was considered a major coup of the summer transfer season, Steven Gerrard even going as far as saying he was "as good as Messi or Ronaldo on the ball," his first season proved to be very difficult. Cole netted only two goals in 20 league appearances and spent much of the season out due to injury and suspension. In an effort to reduce the burden Cole's reported £100,000-a-week wages were having on the club, on 31 August 2011, Liverpool confirmed that Cole had joined Lille OSC on a season-long loan deal. Cole returned in the summer of 2012 with new manager Brendan Rodgers now at the helm- a familiar face to Cole from their respective times at Chelsea. Cole took part in Liverpool's pre season tour of the USA, and made his first competitive appearance since his return in the Europa League third qualifying round first leg tie away to Belarussian side FC Gomel on 2 August 2012 however he went off with a hamstring injury midway through the first half. Cole made his return to action on 31 October 2012. He started the game but came off as a half time substitute in the 3-1 League Cup defeat to Swansea after a performance that was heavily criticised. On 22 November 2012 however, Cole scored his first goal of the 2012-13 season, netting the Reds' second goal in a 2-2 draw with BSC Young Boys. After also assisting Jonjo Shelvey for the first goal of the game, Cole was voted man of the match by Liverpool fans and afterwards spoke of his belief that he could yet have a successful career at Anfield. On 9 December 2012, Cole came on as a substitute and scored an equalising goal in the 3-2 win over Cole's former club West Ham United. With the Hammers leading 2-1, Cole slotted in a fine, angled shot after being played through in the area by Raheem Sterling. This was to prove to be Cole's final notable contribution in a Liverpool shirt. With the opening of the January transfer window, Cole was chased by QPR and West Ham, with the latter claiming Cole's signature on 4 January 2013. The deal was reported to have been a free transfer with Liverpool paying Cole a £3,000,000 severence package. Honours Individual *Premier League Player of the Month: March 2005 *PFA Team of the Year: 2006 Stats External links * *Joe Cole's profile on liverpoolfc.com * Cole Cole